Here's some news from Nokia Siemens to start the new year off, this time in subscriber data management with an acquisition. Nokia Siemens continues to demonstrate they're very serious about their industry leadership role with mobility solutions.

Nokia Siemens Networks expands leadership in subscriber data management solutions with agreement to acquire Apertio

Espoo, Finland /Bristol, England – January 2, 2008

Nokia Siemens Networks today announced the intended acquisition of Apertio Ltd., the leading provider of open real-time subscriber data platforms and applications built specifically for mobile, fixed, and converged telecommunications operators. Nokia Siemens Networks will pay around €140 million for the acquisition, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2008.

Apertio will provide the new generation architecture and open real-time subscriber data platform for Nokia Siemens Networks’ portfolio, strengthening the company’s ability to help customers simplify their networks and manage their key asset – subscriber data. Seventy-six percent of communication service providers view consolidation of customer data as a critical challenge in delivering on the opportunities of convergence (1).

With Apertio, Nokia Siemens Networks will be able to build on its strong position in the converged core, adding Apertio’s market-leading products, services and employees to strengthen its position in subscriber centric networks. The acquisition builds on a pre-existing partnership, Nokia Siemens Networks having already integrated its Home Location Register and Home Subscriber Server products with Apertio’s open platform to deliver a powerful subscriber management solution that is in deployment with leading operators.

“The race is on to deliver seamless and highly targeted services to end-users across various access devices and this requires a unified approach to subscriber data” said Jürgen Walter, head of Nokia Siemens Networks’ Converged Core business unit. “Enabling access to this information in real-time means you can profile subscribers and deliver new services and advertising appropriately. Market entrants from the Internet world that are used to using real-time profiling are starting to play in the telecoms space and operators need to enable a personalised experience – today’s announcement gives Nokia Siemens Networks the opportunity to provide unique value to our customers in this growing area.”

Apertio’s customers number among the world’s largest and fastest growing communications service providers, including Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2. Once the deal has closed, Apertio is expected to form a new business line, to be headed by Apertio CEO, Paul Magelli, within Nokia Siemens Networks’ Converged Core business unit.

“With Internet services, communications services, and entertainment services now converging, operators must simplify their networks and focus on subscriber intelligence to stay competitive” said Paul Magelli, Apertio CEO. “With one open real-time subscriber data platform we have the solution to this problem and as part of Nokia Siemens Networks we will have the geographic reach, comprehensive application portfolio and ecosystem to extend our leadership.”

(1) According to independent research conducted by Loudhouse Market Research for Apertio in Q3 of 2007

About Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide. Nokia Siemens Networks is one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies with operations in 150 countries. The company is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com

About Apertio
Apertio is the leading independent provider of subscriber-centric networks for mobile, fixed and converged telecommunications operators. Its software application suite, Apertio One, delivers a single, open, subscriber-centric architecture for current and new generation networks. The suite includes Apertio One-NDS (Network Directory Server), Apertio One-HLR (Home Location Register), Apertio One-HSS (Home Subscriber Server), One-AAA (Authentication, Authorisation and Accounting) and One-BSF (Boot Strapping Function).

The Apertio One architecture eliminates complexity and cost. It dramatically simplifies the network and places the subscriber at its heart to deliver increased revenue through rapid service deployment, and lays the foundation for convergence and service innovation.

Apertio’s customers number among the world’s largest and fastest growing telecommunications operators including Orange, T-Mobile, O2, Vodafone and AIS. The company is privately held, and headquartered in Bristol, UK, with 237 employees in offices in Berlin, Chicago, Bangkok, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur. Turnover in 2007 is expected to be approximately €28m. For more information visit: www.apertio.com.